This one had a slow start but was very enjoyable once it got going. Beautifully written coming-of-age story. I really want to go hiking in the mountains now.

A beautiful and meditative text on our relationship to the natural world and what it means to live a good life. I was pleasantly surprised at how the author was able to develop the characters and the story so fully in such a short novel. A great piece of fiction in translation that will stay with me. Very curious to read more from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

Beautifully written with a kind of quiet sensibility which suits the mountain settings. I liked the contrast between the ways of being in the mountains-those who "conquer" the slopes and those who meander and breathe them in.

I really liked this book! This showcased a coming-of-age story between two boys, and the writing was so clear and beautifully simple. There wasn't a ton of action, but I enjoyed the way it focused more on an exploration of the characters. The Italian setting was another plus for this book.

This seemed like a such an interesting book from the blurb but I found it a bit to slow for me and the writing did not seem to be 100% there as there were a couple of moments that seemed under developed and not explained or explored enough for my liking. The premise was excellent but the outcome was not as good as I hoped.

‘The Eight Mountains’ is a touching novel about a great and eternal friendship between two friends, Pietro and Bruno, who gradually discover their personal intimacy with the mountains and their love of solitude. They both prefer the quiet and calm life of the mountains to the relentless daily routine of the city. Even if they take different paths in their life, they are forever linked by that friendship that existed only there, in the mountains of Northern Italy. Personally, I really enjoyed reading this novel that conveys a captivating passion for the mountains as a place where you can meditate and unveil your inner self.

I am sorry for not reviewing fully but I don’t have the time to read this anymore. I believe that it wouldn't benefit you as a publisher or your book if I only skimmed it and wrote a rushed review. Again, I am sorry for not fully reviewing!

"In certain lives there are mountains to which we may never return. You cannot go back to the mountain that is in the center of all the rest, and at the beginning of your own story."

A beautifully-written coming-of-age story about a friendship between two boys. Bruno and Pietro meet in the mountains of Italy and develop a friendship that endures 30+ years, even after they go their separate ways. Eventually the mountains bring them together again.

This is a quiet story--sometimes a bit slow, but still engaging, simple, and lovely. My only gripe is that (SPOILER ALERT) the ending felt rushed and unnecessarily melodramatic. I wish the book had ended in a more drawn out and subtle way. Instead there are two pages of tragedy and, boom, it's done. It was odd and disorienting.

This short book and I didn't match: I loved the blurb but the actual pacing and the characters did nothing for me. The story was well written, but sometimes that is not enough to create a connection. This time, unfortunately, the book didn't touch me and I, more or less, forced myself to finish it. It was okay, but the characters and their story will soon be forgotten.

EIGHT MOUNTAINS by Paolo Cognetti was published in March in the US although it has already spent more than a year on the bestseller list in Italy. Friendship between Pietro, a young boy from Milan and Bruno, an adventuresome boy who has grown up in the mountains is at the center of this novel which also deals with relationships between the generations, particularly those between fathers and sons. I originally thought that this title might work as a selection for our Global Voices Senior English class; however, the lengthy descriptive passages and relatively sparse dialogue likely would be less appealing for those students. The publisher recommends EIGHT MOUNTAINS for fans of Elena Ferrante and Paulo Coelho and it is indeed filled with nature and a beautiful book, particularly for those who know and love the Alps.

I wanted to like this novel much more than I did. But it was soooo slow going, which normally I don't have a problem with, it's just that the writing kept me from engaging and having any feelings, besides boredom.

I can easily do slow in literature if the writing is outstanding. While this was competently written, it didn't wow me. When I think of Italy and Italians I think of passion, lots of talking, gesticulating, eating, being impulsive etc. When it came to The Eight Mountains one could be forgiven for forgetting this was about Italian people. Of course, it's nice to have the stereotypes shaken. Its Italianess could have been lost in translation.

Regardless, Cognetti's writing and the story didn't engage me and unfortunately, I didn't care much about any of the characters.

This was a beautifully written story about the friendship of two young Italian boys, Pietro and Bruno – both of whom come from different backgrounds, yet from the moment they meet, they develop a closeness akin to two brothers. Their friendship is indeed a special one, as Pietro is from the city and though he shares an almost immediate love for the Dolomites – the mountains located in the northeastern border of Italy where his family travels for vacation – he does not fully understand the deep relationship that his friend Bruno has with these mountains where he grew up, nor does he understand the inexplicable pull that these same mountains have on his own parents, especially his father. Despite the divergent paths that their lives end up taking and the many months, even years, they often spend apart, the friendship between Pietro and Bruno endures over the course of several decades and later it is through Bruno that Pietro eventually comes to appreciate and connect to the late father with whom he had grown distant over the course of his life. More than just a coming of age story, this is also one that emphasizes the bonds of family, especially that between father and son….at its core, this is a story about relationships in its many forms – between friends, various members of the family, love relationships, and of course, relationship with nature and its surrounding landscape.

There were so many things I loved about this atmospheric yet quietly written book: the beautiful descriptions of the mountains and its surrounding landscape, rendered in a way that made the mountains an important character in the story; the lyrical, contemplative prose, writing so full of depth and meaning, yet uncomplicated in its execution – I found myself highlighting extensively throughout my reading and even stopping at various points just to absorb and reflect upon what I had just read; the characters whom I grew to really care about and root for, characters created by the author Paolo Cognetti so meticulously and presented with obvious care, yet were still realistically portrayed with personalities and flaws that we can all relate to -- characters that, by story’s end, made me feel a little saddened knowing that I would not be able to continue the journey with them. I also loved the way all the different relationships were portrayed, especially the enduring friendship between Pietro and Bruno as well as the strenuous one between Pietro and his father…both relationships were poignantly drawn – touching, yet at the same time also heartbreaking.

This was a book that captivated me from the beginning, found its way into my heart, and after that wouldn’t let go -- a short book, yet one packed with so much depth and meaning. This was a lovely read, one that I won’t soon forget. Definitely highly recommended!

Received ARC from Atria Books via NetGalley.

Wonderful writer but the story was not for me. Still I would recommend the book on the author's talents.

This is the story of both a troubled father/son relationship and, primarily, a longstanding male friendship. Unfortunately, the book was too gentle and uneventful for me. However, I know that this sort of lyrical introspection appeals to a lot of people. For me, while I could recognize that the book was well written I found it uninvolving. Maybe if I loved mountain climbing, long walks in the mountains, stilted conversations in the mountains or cheese making in the mountains I would have liked this book more.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

Jennifer was lost in a coulee reading The Eight Mountains and waited for me to join her so we could discuss the story together. I crawled into our quiet coulee and ignored the world around me and savored this quiet and peaceful story. I was so glad that Jennifer was waiting for me and we really enjoyed discussing this one.

The Eight Mountains is a beautifully and simply written coming of age story that explores relationships and connections not only between the characters but with the mountains and a tiny Alpine Village. We were taken from our sheltered coulee and were emerged into the Foothills of Italy’s Monte Rosa Mountains. We were taken on a journey with our main character Pietro along at times with his father or best friend Bruno though the village, jumping from rock to rock, wading in the river, taking us to summits and glaciers and hiking and climbing through the mountains. The descriptions so vivid that we felt like we were there with them.

Paolo Cognetti does a good job creating two very different complex characters here with Pietro and Bruno. Both living very different lives and but joined together by a deep complex bond.

Written is such a quiet way that allowed me to think of the connections between the characters and the land around them while they found their place in the world. I loved how this story made me feel and think of my own connections to the land around me.

The ending left me thinking long after finishing. It left me thinking along with the peace, adventure or journey in the mountains they come with danger, secrets and mystery. I highly recommend for those times when you need a beautifully written quiet story.

Published on March 20, 2018

Thank you, NetGalley, Atria and Paolo Cognetti for a copy to read and review.

Review written and posted on our themed book blog Two Sisters Lost In A Coulee Reading.
https://twosisterslostinacoulee.com
Coulee: a term applied rather loosely to different landforms, all of which refer to a kind of valley.

The Eight Mountains was a gently moving story about the enduring friendship between two young Italian boys from age twelve.    Reserved initially,  it took them some time to relax into each others company but once they thawed out they created a bond that lasted a lifetime.    As young men and adults they lived vastly different lives - Pietro lived in cities and travelled the world whilst Bruno lived the life of a mountain man.       They could go for years at a time without any form of contact but like all good friendships they would pick up wherever they left off without losing a beat.     As Bruno never came down off the mountain the Italian Alps provided the magnificent backdrop to each of their interractions.      More than simply a setting, every element of the landscape - from the descriptions of the woods, to the rivers and Alpine lakes, of the flora and fauna, of the passing of the seasons -  these things were the lifeblood of the friendship and the story.

Not only did I adore Pietro and Bruno's friendship but I also loved  the troubled relationship that developed between father and son.    I was saddened at the chasm that gradually opened between Pietro and his father but was equally moved by the way, in the years following his passing, Bruno provided Pietro with a greater understanding and appreciation of the man who had been his father.  

Told in the first person voice of Pietro, from the very first page I had the sense I was reading a memoir - a captivating, beautiful and elegantly written memoir.     I had to keep reminding myself this was a work of fiction.    I wasn't the least bit surprised to learn that like Pietro, author Paolo Cognetti divides his time between the city and his cabin in the Italian Alps.  His love of this part of the world, his respect for the mountain life was evident in every word he wrote.   

Thanks indeed to Paolo Vognetti, Simon and Schuster publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity of reading this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review which it was my pleasure to provide.

Honestly, I did not finish it. I’ve never struggled with a book this length (a mere 224 pages) and the whole experience boggles my mind. The prose is lovely and well-written and the setting has a magical, peaceful feel. The mountains truly call to the characters, for one reason or another.

It comes down to the feeling that this book just had no movement for me. It meanders, as one might on a mountain path, but never seems to arrive anywhere. Unfortunately I never connected with any of the characters or their lives and they mostly remained the same throughout the book. Though I read two-thirds of it, I had to compel myself to pick it up as I found myself waiting for some compulsion to finish it. But after a couple weeks of attempting to get into it, I gave up. It was fine (the prose really is pretty) but not enough to keep me going.

Note: I received a free Kindle edition of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher Atria Books, and the author Paolo Cognetti for the opportunity to do so.

Well written book about the coming of age of two friends in Italy with different backgrounds but who love the outdoors and the challenges the mountains offer them.. It's a lovely story which embraces nature and the soul searching of young boys who grow into young men over years of summer meetings in the mountains. The connections they forge over the years and the impact it has on each of their lives is explored. The writing is poetic and the pace of the book is slow. If you love nature and are willing to trek slowing through the mountains with these young men as they grow in wisdom and self-understanding, then this book is for you.

This is a quiet and gentle meditation on friendship, growing-up and finding your place in the world, poetically and lyrically written and with an evocative sense of place. Now in his late 30s, Pietro reflects on a childhood and adolescence spent in Milan during term time and the mountain village of Grana in northern Italy in the summer holidays. There he spends time climbing with his father and forging a deep and lasting friendship with a local mountain shepherd Bruno. The relationship with his father and the one with Bruno are at the heart of the novel as these relationships change over the years. It’s a coming-of-age story and an exploration of the power of nature, family and male friendships. I enjoyed it up to a point, but didn’t find it the “masterpiece” it has been described as. I never felt any great connection with Pietro, and Bruno seemed too good to be true. A pleasant enough tale, but for me nothing special.

This is a beautifully written and poetic book about two boys who grow up together with a love of the mountains. It's an unusual story in some ways and yet universal in its description of coming of age. A quiet read